Botia Striata not eating

[slick666]

Dear Members,

I've recently gotten into Botia Striata. I initially purchased two 1.5 in. - 2 in. and placed them in a tank with a few Platties, and a couple Plecos. I fed all the fish the same diet of Tetra Tropical fish food in a rotating schedule twice a day. The loaches, particularly the smaller one would get really excited and would eat the food as it was falling and the small one would even go up to the surface if it wasn't falling fast enough. They both ate well, and were very territorial of the aquarium floor.

A couple weeks later when the store got two more in that were a larger size 2in+ I snatched them and joined them with the two that I had. The loaches all grouped together quickly and theey all seemed to be "happy". I've had the new loaches for 5 days and noticed some odd behavior at feeding time.

The new smaller loaches continue in the way they've always been and feeding quite well. The newer (and larger) two hide throughout the entire feeding time and only come out to chase the smaller two a little but never really eat and quickly hide again. I thought I might be spooking them so I've tried feeding a leaving the room, only to peak in at the doorway but no change.

I'm worried that the new loaches aren't feeding and there might be something wrong that hasn't risen to a critical point yet.

If anyone has had experience with this or knows of some other food I might try to get the new loaches feeding I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

[helen nightingale]

you shoud try feeding them different foods. they may not have sussed the flake is food yet. try some sinking pellets, wafers and granules, frozen and defrosted bloodworm or daphnia, or a slice of cucumber weighted down with plant weights.

they can be quite shy, so give them time. also make sure they have LOTS of hiding places to make them feel safe.

[bslindgren]

Try frozen brine shrimp, blood worms and the like. My striata took a while to get used to some foods. For example, they wouldn't touch the algae wafers and were moderately interested in zucchini. One of them was particularly finicky and wouldn't eat flake food (I have 10, all ought at the same time). Now they eat just about anything. Larger (=older) loaches also seem slower at adjusting to a new environment. I have a clown that was bought at about 4.5 inches. It took 3 months for it to settle in!! Now it's out with the others eating (although it still spends too much time chasing other fish rather than eating). Have patience, but also make sure that you give them high quality food.

[slick666]

I got some tablets from the fish store. The younger fish went for it straight away (I can't believe they would still be hungry). One of the larger fish was hunting around right next to it and actually touched it but payed it no mind. It's been a while since zucchini so that is on my list for tomorrow.

Thanks for the ideas

[slick666]

Some success, My second largest is feeding with the younger ones now. If I can only get my grump Alpha to come out from under that rock to feed like the rest of the fish. Till then I'll still drop in a pellet every other day.

[Ashleigh]

Have you ever had a go at frozen foods?? Try some blood/black worm, brineshrimp, daphina or whatever you have avaliable to you and try feeding after lights out they should eventually take the hint, it can take a while for larger individuals to settle in and 'get' what is actually food.

With striata, I have found that there can never be enough hiding places, my tank is a complete mess... I hate it but the striata seem to love it as they are always out, always the way isnt it

Ashleigh

[slick666]

Just as a follow up. I purchased and added a Tetra Tablet food but all the other Striata got after it before the largest one ever did. I've made some more changes recently...

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=17502

and now the fish are finally eating together. I think the addition of more places to hide made the Alpha striata comfortable enough to wander around the tank eating up the flakes that fall. It still goes back to it's original place but I'll find it lurking in other spots now and again so I think it's much happier now.

Thanks for all the input

[Diana]

Read the ingredients in the food.
Avoid food with main ingredients of fish meal and wheat.
Look for whole fish and shellfish, spirulina algae and other good stuff.

Compare something like New Life Spectrum and Omega One to the 'grocery store' ie cheap brands.

I find a significant difference in feeding response to the better quality foods.

I feed a lot of frozen and freeze dried foods, some live foods, and the better dried foods from those two 2 companies. Omega One makes a sinking shrimp pellet that my fish really love. Even the top feeders will come to the floor of the tank to eat them!
I also make my own frozen food using a recipe similar to the DIY recipe here at Loaches.

All of these are better accepted than the cheap foods. The few times I got any of the cheap foods (Came with the tank) my fish have not responded very well. And these are established, happy fish, accustomed to acting like sharks at feeding time.